"Dream High 2" to Audition Cast Via Reality Show

Dream High has announced the production of a sequel series, and that has everyone in a tizzy trying to either guess the new cast, or offer up their favorites for a fantasy version. Well, according to a KBS variety programming executive, they’re getting TWO shows in one (kaching!), because they’ll be holding a separate reality show covering auditions to find the new cast members.

Of course, not all of the cast will be selected via audition — I’m sure they’ve got idols lined up who’d dearly love that shot to break out into their acting careers — but those who make it through the reality program will get background roles. Which may even be better — imagine you’re a Dream High fan. Imagine your favorite idols get cast in the sequel. And then imagine that you get to play…their best friend. Or tormentor. Or rival, whatever.

This is quite possibly brilliant. It’s like the What’s Up auditions, juiced up and televised and turned into an entertainment property all its own. Well, the drama was known for its meta awareness and pop-culture referencing, so it only makes sense that that sequel go all-out in the meta department, yeah?

The reality auditions will be held in the latter half of the year, as they have another reality program in the works that will air first. KBS is also looking at production concepts for MC and comedian reality shows.

Dream High 2 is aiming to hit the airwaves in January 2012, co-produced again by Bae Yong-joon’s Keyeast and Park Jin-young’s JYP Entertainment. I have no interest in seeing Yonsama reprise his anemic cameo, but man oh man had they better bring back Park’s hysterically offbeat character. That dude was a scene-stealer if there ever was one. (Trivia! JYP named his character, Yang Jin-man, after the “Big 3″ music-biz CEOs: There’s YG’s Yang Hyun-seok; his own name, Park Jin-young; and SM’s Lee Soo-man.) Both Bae and Park are in talks to serve as the judges for the reality program.